Computers and other like devices can be interconnected in a variety of ways to allow data to be communicated between them. One of the most common ways to provide such data communication is through a wired network. Wired networks, such as, e.g., wide area networks (WANs) and local area networks (LANs) tend to have a high bandwidth and therefore can be configured to carry digital data at high data rates. One obvious drawback to wired networks is that a user's movement is constrained since the computer needs to be physically connected to the network. Thus, for example, a user of a portable computer will need to remain near to a wired network junction to stay connected to the wired network.
An alternative to wired networks is a wireless network that is configured to support similar data communications but in a more accommodating manner. Here, the user of a portable device will be free to move around a region that is supported by the wireless network. A well known example of a wireless network is a cellular telephone network. Indeed, in the past, cellular telephone modems have proven popular for use with portable laptop computers and other like devices, despite their relatively low bandwidth.
In the future it is expected that higher bandwidth wireless networks will become more popular, especially in creating metropolitan area networks (MANs) in which users, i.e., subscribers, have the ability to freely move their portable communicating devices around within a coverage area. However, as the subscribers move about freely there will not always be a clear or otherwise unobstructed communication path between a transmitting network resource and the receiving device. For example, one or more buildings, roadways, bridges, or other man-made objects may interfere with the transmission of signals in the wireless network. So too may non-manmade objects, such as, e.g., mountains, hills, valleys, trees, etc., reduce the effectiveness of the wireless network.
For these and other reasons, there is need for improved methods and apparatuses that can support wireless communications within such varying environments.